Extruded enclosure for a computer system

ABSTRACT

An enclosure for a computer system is disclosed, which has the capability of being used in a desktop, tower or rack-mount configuration. The enclosure includes side extrusions having a center portion and two end portions which are substantially perpendicular to the center portion. Foot grooves are located on the end portions and on the center portion near each corner, and center grooves are located along the wider center portion. Pliable feet may be slid into position into foot grooves of the end portions of both side extrusions, in the desktop configuration. The tower configuration may be obtained by installing support feet which wrap around the corner of the side extrusion, mating in both the foot grooves on the end portions and those in the center portion of the side extrusion. The disclosed enclosure also enables rack-mounting by way of rack slides mounted into the center grooves of the center portion of the side extrusions. Flexibility in deployment of a computer contained within such an enclosure is obtained by way of the disclosed construction.

This invention is in the field of computer systems, and is moreparticularly directed to enclosures or cases for such systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Modern personal computers and workstations generally include the moreimportant functional components in a single case. These componentsinclude power supplies, disk storage (both fixed disk and removable, orfloppy disk drives), tape drives, and one or more printed circuit boardsupon which are mounted the central processing unit, memory, and otherintegrated circuits used in data processing. In many office and homeenvironments, the case is configured to be placed in a horizontal("desktop") position, generally with the cathode ray tube (CRT) monitorplaced thereupon. High performance personal computers, particularlyworkstations for computer-aided-design and other computationallyintensive tasks, often require larger cases in order to house additionalcircuit and storage functions. These high performance computers ofteninclude cases in the so-called "tower" configuration, with the caseintended to sit in a vertical position on the floor under or adjacentthe user's desk. A third environment into which personal computers andworkstations are placed are in a factory or other control environment.The case for such computers is often configured so as to be mounted inan instrumentation rack using rack slides mounted along the sides of thecase.

Heretofore, each of the three configurations (desktop, tower, rack) havehad specific case designs therefor. Particularly in the case ofrack-mounted computers, the purchaser may be limited in the choice ofcomputer model and performance for a particular case design. The designof the computer enclosure also limits the ability to re-deploy acomputer workstation in a different environment. In addition,manufacturers of computer systems that serve all three markets mustmaintain an inventory of the three case designs, using the particularcases according to demand. Dedicated case designs thus limit the use andmanufacturability of computers, for both the purchaser and themanufacturer.

In addition, many new personal computer systems and workstations arebeing purchased for more "rugged" environments. For example, a factoryor on-site control application can expose the computer to significantlystronger mechanical shocks, at a higher frequency, than that to whichcomputers in an office environment are exposed. Enclosures for computersintended for use in factories, aircraft, and other hostile environmentsmust thus provide strength against mechanical shocks and forces.

By way of further background, extrusion sides and cases for electronicinstrumentation are known. Such extrusions include interior grooves intowhich printed circuit boards and other internal components may bemounted. Examples of such conventional extrusions now available includethe "MICRO-PAK" enclosures sold by Lansing Instrument Corp., systemcases sold by Schroff Inc., "FLEXIBOX" enclosure systems from Powerbox,and ERB and ECR model cases sold by The Buckeye Stamping Company.However, conventional extrusions do not provide flexibility ofconfiguration, as extrusions for rack-mounted equipment differ fromdesktop or "tower" configuration cases, much less provide structuralsupport in the various configurations.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an enclosure fora personal computer or workstation which can be deployed in a desktop,tower or rack-mounted environment.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such an enclosurewhich includes extruded aluminum sides of sufficient strength to supportinternal components and to shield the components from mechanical shock.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such an enclosurewhich includes such side extrusions which allow for desktop, tower orrack-mounted deployment.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentto those of ordinary skill in the art having reference to the followingspecification together with the drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention may be incorporated into a computer enclosure having sidesformed of extruded aluminum. The sides are formed into a C-shapedstructure, providing not only side enclosures but also providingstructural support to the computer itself. Each of the extruded sidesinclude grooves on either side of each corner, into which elongatedpliable "feet" may be slid. The desktop configuration is obtained byinstalling the feet in the grooves along the narrow end portion of eachof the two extrusions. The tower configuration is obtained by installingtower support feet into the grooves on the wider center portion of oneside extrusion; additional support may be obtained by using feet whichmate into both the bottom grooves and those along the narrow end portionof the side extrusion. Rack-mounting is obtained by installing rackslides into a center exterior groove along the wider center portion ofeach of the extrusions. Interior grooves are provided for mountinginternal computer components to the side extrusions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1a, 1b and 1c are perspective views of the computer enclosureaccording to the present invention in the desktop, tower andrack-mounted configurations respectively.

FIGS. 2a and 2b are perspective exterior and interior views,respectively, of an end portion of one of the extrusions of theenclosure of FIGS. 1a through 1c.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an enclosure according to the preferredembodiment of the invention, in a tower configuration, and at a selectedstage during its assembly.

FIG. 4 is a perspective interior view of an end portion of one of theextrusions of the enclosure of FIG. 1a, illustrating the location of afoot therewithin.

FIG. 5 is a plan view, in block form, of the interior of a computeraccording to the preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating thelocation of various components therewithin.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring first to FIG. 1a, computer 2 will be described relative to itsdesktop configuration. In this embodiment of the invention, sideextrusions 4 serve to support front panel 14 and rear panel 11. As willbe described in further detail hereinbelow, side extrusions 4 haveexterior grooves 8a, 8b which may receive feet for supporting the weightof computer 2 on a desktop or other surface, and also include interiorgrooves and mounting locations for supporting internal components andcircuit boards therein. Accordingly, it is preferred that sideextrusions 4 consist of a relatively high strength metal, for examplealuminum, which is formed by way of extrusion through a die having thedesired cross-sectional shape. While extrusion is the preferred processfor the formation of side extrusions 4 in a manner suitable to achievethe functions described herein, other techniques for forming sides 4 mayalternatively be used, such methods including forming metal, moldingplastic, and the like.

Each of side extrusions 4 include center groove 6 along its exteriorside; as will be described hereinbelow, center groove 6 can receive arack mounting slide for mounting computer 2 into an industry-standardrack. Each of side extrusions 4 further include foot grooves 8a runningthe length of each of its narrower end portions (i.e., the top andbottom of computer 2 in FIG. 1a, the bottom not being shown). Each ofside extrusions 4 further include two foot grooves 8b running along thelength of its wider center portion, preferably spaced from the top andbottom corners, respectively, by approximately the same distance thatfoot grooves 8a are spaced therefrom. In the configuration of FIG. 1a,pliable feet (not shown) are in place in foot groove 8a of each sideextrusion 4 which is on the bottom of computer 2, for supportingcomputer 2 from the desktop or other work surface.

Front panel 14 is attached into side extrusions 4 by way of screws orother conventional fasteners. In this example, certain of the componentsin computer 2 are modular and may be removed and replaced from thefront. These modular components include power supplies 18 and fixed diskdrives 16, each of which have front-accessible handles by which they maybe pulled out from computer 2. Front panel 14 also includes slidabledoor 10 through which a floppy disk drive is accessible. LCD statuspanel 20 is also provided in front panel 14 by which computer 2 presentsstatus messages to the user; as will be noted hereinbelow, LCD panel 20is preferably mounted by way of push-pins which mate with sockets infront panel 14, to allow for its removal and re-orientation if desired.Lock 22 mechanically locks power supplies 18, fixed disk drives 16, andtop cover 12 so that they cannot be removed, and also locks door 10 sothat it cannot be opened. Lock 22 thus secures computer 2 not onlyagainst component removal, but also against removal of data therefromonto a floppy disk. Lock 23 is also provided to provide keyed controlfor the turning on and off of power to computer 2; in this example, lock23 operates in three positions, including power on, power off, and poweron with the keyboard disabled. Front panel 14 also includes access port24 into which a keyboard may be installed.

The case of computer 2 also includes top panel 12 which slides intogrooves of side extrusions 4 as will be described in further detailhereinbelow; a bottom pan (not shown in FIG. 1a) also slides into sideextrusions 4. Rear panel 11 fits over side extrusions 4 and fastensthereinto by screws.

According to this embodiment of the invention, side extrusions 4 allowfor the deployment of computer 2 in desktop, tower or rack-mountconfigurations. Accordingly, the size of computer 2 is preferablycompatible with standard instrument racks; an example of such a standardsize is 19 inches wide by 7 inches high by 20 inches deep. Of course,the present invention is also beneficial for computer enclosures ofother standard, and non-standard, sizes.

Referring now to FIG. 1b, computer 2 in its tower configuration will nowbe described. In the tower configuration, computer 2 includes the samecomponents as in the desktop configuration described hereinaboverelative to FIG. 1a. In this embodiment of the invention, LCD panel 20is turned 90° from that in the desktop configuration of FIG. 1a. Asnoted hereinabove, LCD panel 20 is mounted into front panel 14 by way ofpush-pins mating into panel sockets (with the electrical connectionthereto made by way of flexible wiring), so that the turning of LCDpanel 20 may be accomplished by merely pulling it away from front panel14, turning it 90° in the desired direction, and replacing it into thesockets.

Also provided in the tower configuration of computer 2 shown in FIG. 1bare tower support feet 26. Tower support feet 26 are preferably formedof pliable material, such as rubber or plastic, to provide stability.Tower support feet 26 slidably mate with grooves 8a and 8b of one ofside extrusions 4, in particular the side extrusion 4 which is to serveas the bottom of computer 2, and preferably run substantially the lengthof side extrusion 4 between front panel 14 and rear panel 11. The matingof tower support feet 26 with grooves 8b in the side extrusion 4 servingas the bottom of computer 2 is apparent from FIG. 1b; tower support feet26 also preferably wrap under the corner of side extrusion 4, however,to also mate into grooves 8a thereunder, to add additional support tocomputer 2.

Referring now to FIG. 1c, computer 2 in its rack-mount configurationwill now be described in detail. In this example, computer 2 is intendedto mate into a standard rack, for example an EIA standard 19" by 7" rackpanel. Computer 2 in the rack-mount configuration includes the samecomponents as in the desktop and tower configurations, except forpliable support feet and tower support feet 26, which are not necessaryin the rack-mount configuration. Computer 2 of FIG. 1c further includesrack plate 28 which is mounted between front panel 14 and sideextrusions 4, for example by screws into side extrusions 4; rack plate28 has handles 30 mounted thereupon to facilitate the mounting andremoval of computer 2 into and from the desired rack location.

As noted hereinabove, side extrusions 4 each include center grooves 6.Center grooves 6 are of such size as to be able to receive conventionalrack slides, for mating with the slides in the instrument rack intowhich computer 2 is to be installed. Such rack slides structurallysupport computer 2 within the instrument rack, in the conventionalmanner.

As is evident in each of the three configurations described hereinabove,side extrusions 4 provide the structural support required for theinstallation or deployment of computer 2 into its desired location. Whenconfigured either as a desktop or as a tower, support feet necessary forstable and sound support of computer 2 are mounted within grooves 8a,8b, and when rack-mounted, side extrusions 4 receive the rack slidesinto grooves 2 therein and support computer 2 in an instrument rack.Since side extrusions 4 serve not only as side panels, but also as thecorners of the completed enclosure, side extrusions 4 according to thepresent invention thus structurally support computer 2 in three possibleconfigurations, without requiring different extrusions or enclosures forthe different configurations. As a result, the computer manufacturerneed not design and maintain inventory of multiple enclosure types forthe different configurations. In addition, the computer purchaser maydeploy, or re-deploy, computer 2 according to this embodiment of theinvention in any of the configurations by merely adding the appropriatefeet or slides.

Referring now to FIGS. 2a and 2b, the construction of one of sideextrusions 4 will be described in further detail. The two sideextrusions 4 utilized in a single computer 2 are preferably identicalwith one another, with their orientation determining whether they arefor the left or right side of the case, for best manufacturingefficiency. As will be noted hereinbelow, as different grooves may beused for the top and bottom panels, it is therefore preferable that thegrooves formed in side extrusions 4 extend along their full length; suchconstruction is, of course, compatible with the extrusion manufacturingprocess used to form side extrusions 4.

As shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, the exterior of the inner center portion ofside extrusion 4 includes center groove 6 and two foot grooves 8b. Onefoot groove 8a is formed into the exterior of each of the two narrowerend portions of side extrusions 4, such narrower end portionssubstantially perpendicular to the wider center portion of each sideextrusion 4. It is preferred, from the standpoint of structuralsoundness, that foot grooves 8a be located at approximately the samedistance from the corner of side extrusion 4 as foot grooves 8b; in thisway, the installation of pliable feet into either of grooves 8a, 8b willprovide equivalent stability. Each of grooves 6, 8a, 8b are on the orderof 0.180 inches wide at the surface, and are of a T-shape so as to havea width of 0.280 inches in their interior. Such T-shaped constructionallows for secure installation of pliable feet and the like, havingmating T-shaped protrusions therefrom which can be slid into the desiredfoot groove 8a, 8b from one end. Once installed, the mating T-shapedprotrusions prevent their easy removal from foot grooves 8a, 8b. For thecase of conventional rack slides to be mounted into center groove 6,preferably a metal plate is included in the rack slide which mates withthe T-shaped center groove 6, allowing it to be slid into center groove6 and securely maintained therein.

Side extrusion 4 further includes component grooves 32 on its interiorsurface to which internal components may be fixably mounted. Componentgrooves 32 are also preferably T-shaped, so that they can receiveconventional sliding clips into which screws or other fasteners may bemounted. Component grooves 32 thus allow for the placement of circuitboards, power supply assemblies and the like to side extrusions 4, andthus to the primary structural member of the enclosure of computer 2. Assuch, side extrusions 4 may bear at least some of the weight of thecomponents in computer 2, particularly heavier components such as powersupplies, rather than having a thin bottom panel support suchcomponents. Since side extrusions 4 either have feet or rack slidesmounted thereinto, the weight of the mounted components is thus borne bythe support structure provided by side extrusions 4.

Side extrusion 4 also includes panel grooves 36, 38 for holding toppanel 12 and a bottom panel (not shown), respectively. In thisembodiment of the invention, one of the narrower end portions of sideextrusion 4 includes panel groove 38, which has its opening parallel tofoot groove 8a, for receiving a flat top panel 12 therein. The othernarrower end portion of side extrusion 4 includes panel groove 36, whichhas its opening perpendicular to groove 8a, for receiving folded edgesof a bottom panel, or pan. The use of folded edges of the bottom panelmating with panel groove 38 provides for structurally sound installationof the bottom panel, while the perpendicular opening in panel groove 36facilitates removal of top panel 12 after rear panel 11 has beenremoved, for ease of service.

Screw holes 34 are also provided at the top and bottom of the widercenter portion of side extrusion 4, for the attachment of front panel 14or rear panel 11 thereto. Screw hole 34 has an open side (facing theinterior of side extrusion 4), and as such is adapted to receive aself-tapping screw from the end, by which the front panel 14 or rearpanel 11, as the case may be, can be fastened to side extrusions 4.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a view of side extrusions 4 with tower supportfeet 26 installed therein will now be described in detail. In the stateillustrated in FIG. 3, top panel 12 (serving as a side) and bottom panel40 (serving as an opposing side) are installed into place into panelgrooves 36 and 38, respectively, of side extrusions 4a, 4b. At the stateshown in FIG. 3, front panel 14 and rear panel 11 are not yet installed,nor are any of the internal components of computer 2 installedthereinto. Side extrusion 4a serves as the top of the unit in this towerconfiguration, and side extrusion 4b serves as the bottom of the towerconfiguration.

According to this preferred embodiment of the invention, tower supportfeet 26 wrap around the corners of bottom side extrusion 4b in FIG. 3.T-shaped protrusions from each of tower support feet 26 mate with, andare in place into, both foot groove 8a and foot groove 8b of sideextrusion 4b at its associated corner. As noted hereinabove, thepreferred method of installation of tower support feet 26 is to slidefeet 26 from one end of bottom side extrusion 4b, prior to theinstallation of either or both of front panel 14 and rear panel 11, withthe T-shaped extrusion mating with T-shaped foot grooves 8a, 8b as it isslid therealong.

As shown in FIG. 3, in this configuration of the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, sound structural support is provided for computer 2 byside extrusions 4a, 4b, together with tower support feet 26 wrappingaround a corner of side extrusion 4b and inserted into grooves 8a, 8b onboth sides thereof. It should be noted that the tower configurationcould be obtained by merely placing pliable feet into foot grooves 8b ofside extrusion 4b, as this would provide a resilient interface betweencomputer 2 and its resting surface. In this preferred embodiment of theinvention, however, the wrap-around tower support feet 26 of FIG. 3provides resilient support of computer 2 on the floor or other restingsurface by way of the portion underlying side extrusion 4b and matedwith foot groove 8b, and also lateral support against tipping by way ofthe portion extending vertically and mating with foot groove 8a.

Referring now to FIG. 4, an interior view of one of side extrusions 4 isillustrated, particularly relative to the desktop configuration shown inFIG. 1a. In this view of FIG. 4, support foot 27 is in place withingroove 8a on the exterior surface of the bottom narrower end portion ofextrusion 4. Support foot 27 is preferably formed of a pliable materialsuch as rubber or plastic, and has a T-shaped extension therefrom whichmates with the dimensions of groove 8a as shown in FIG. 4. For purposesof stability, it is preferable that support foot 27 extend alongsubstantially the full length of extrusion 4. As such, support foot 27is preferably a single extruded or molded rubber or plastic member ofthe appropriate shape, of a length approximately that of extrusion 4.Support foot 27 may be installed by sliding it into groove 8a from oneend of extrusion 4, prior to attachment of front panel 14 and rear panel11.

As noted hereinabove, implementation of computer 2 in the rack-mountedconfiguration, as shown in FIG. 1c, may be accomplished by the insertionof conventional rack mounting slides into groove 6 in the exterior ofthe wider center portion of extrusions 6. Preferably, the rack mountingslides also extend for substantially the full length of extrusion 4, forbest stability. As is conventional in the art, such rack mounting slidesmay be installed by sliding them into groove 6, for example from therear of extrusions 4 with rear panel 11 removed.

Referring now to FIG. 5, an example of the location of components ofcomputer 2 when installed between extrusions 4 is illustrated. Ofcourse, the benefits of the invention may be obtained regardless of theactual location of the various components therewithin; the location ofsuch components illustrated in FIG. 5 is therefore presented by way ofexample only.

The illustration of FIG. 5 shows the interior of computer 2 with toppanel 12 removed, and with front panel 14 and rear panel 11 in place.Consistent with the views of FIGS. 1a through 1c, power supplies 18 arelocated near front panel 14, and are adjacent one another. Power supplycontrol module 44 is located behind power supplies 18, and includes thenecessary control electronics and bussing to control the distribution ofpower to the other components of computer 2. Along the right-hand side(as shown in FIG. 5) of computer 2, floppy disk drive 46 extends towardfront panel 14, in cooperation with door 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1athrough 1c; fixed disk drives 16 (shown in FIGS. 1a through 1c) aredisposed under floppy disk drive 46. Also in this example, batterybackup module 48 is located behind disk drives 16, 46; a spare fixeddisk drive may also be located at this location. Each of power supplies18, power supply module 44, disk drives 16, 46, and battery backupmodule 48 preferably mount, in the conventional manner, to grooves 32 onthe interior of extrusions 4.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, this example of computer 2 further includescooling fans 45 located near front panel 45. CPU board 41 is locatedbetween extrusions 4, extending below power control module 44 andbattery backup module 48 if desired. For example, CPU board 41 may besupported from interior grooves 32 of extrusions 4; alternatively, CPUboard 41 may be supported from bottom panel 40 (a portion of which showsthrough as illustrated in FIG. 5, in the example where CPU board 41 doesnot fully extend to front panel 14). Mounted onto CPU board 41 are theappropriate components useful in conventional computers, including oneor more microprocessors, memory devices, and the like. Expansion slots43 are provided near the rear of CPU board 41 to provide back-planeaccess in the conventional manner. In this example, cooling fans 45force air toward rear panel 11, through any expansion cards which may beinstalled into expansion slots 43.

While the invention has been described herein relative to its preferredembodiment, it is of course contemplated that modifications of, andalternatives to, this embodiment, such modifications and alternativesobtaining the advantages and benefits of this invention, will beapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having reference to thisspecification and its drawings. It is contemplated that suchmodifications and alternatives are within the scope of this invention assubsequently claimed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. An enclosure for a computer, comprising:first andsecond side extrusions, each comprising:a center portion having firstand second ends; a first end portion disposed along a first side of saidcenter portion, and extending in a direction substantially perpendicularto said center portion so as to define a first corner with said centerportion, said first end portion having a first foot groove in itsexterior surface which extends the length of said center portion betweenits first and second ends; and a second end portion disposed along asecond opposing side of said center portion, and extending in adirection substantially perpendicular to said center portion, so as todefine a second corner with said center portion, said second end portionhaving a second foot groove in its exterior surface which extends thelength of said center portion between its first and second ends; whereinsaid center portion has, in its exterior surface, third and fourth footgrooves which extend the length of said center portion between its firstand second ends, the third and fourth foot grooves having a shape andsize approximately the same as the first and second foot grooves, saidthird foot groove disposed near said first corner, and said fourth footgroove disposed near said second corner; a front panel, connected tosaid first end of each of said side extrusions; a first surface panelmeans for securing said first end portion of each of said sideextrusions with said first surface panel; and a second surface panelmeans for securing said second end portion of each of with said secondsurface panel said side extrusions in an opposing fashion relative tosaid first surface panel.
 2. The enclosure of claim 1, furthercomprising:first and second feet, mated with said second foot groove ineach of said first and second side extrusions, respectively.
 3. Theenclosure of claim 2, wherein said first and second feet extendsubstantially the length of the center portions of said first and secondside extrusions, respectively.
 4. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein saidcenter portion of each of said first and second side extrusions alsohas, in its exterior surface, a center groove extending from its firstend to its second end.
 5. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein said frontpanel comprises an LCD panel that may be oriented in either of first andsecond perpendicular directions.
 6. The enclosure of claim 1, whereinsaid center portion of said first side extrusions also has an interiorgroove for mounting a computer component thereto.
 7. The enclosure ofclaim 1, wherein, for each of said first and second side extrusions,said third and fourth foot grooves are spaced from said first and secondcorners, respectively, by approximately the same distance as said firstand second foot grooves are respectively spaced therefrom.